# How to Back Up and Restore Your Eco Server (/docs/eco/backup-restore)



import { Step, Steps } from 'fumadocs-ui/components/steps';
import { Tab, Tabs } from 'fumadocs-ui/components/tabs';

Eco has **no in-game rollback** and no built-in restore command. The entire server state — every block, plant, animal, player, building, government, law — lives in two files inside the `Storage/` folder. Lose them, lose everything. This page is the workflow that prevents that.

What to Back Up [#what-to-back-up]

```
Eco/Eco_Data/Server/Storage/
├── Game.eco          ← live world state (JSON)
├── Game.db           ← live world state (SQLite)
├── Archive.eco       ← world history archive
└── Backup/           ← rolling auto-backups created by the server
    ├── Game.eco      ← snapshot
    └── Game.db       ← snapshot
```

| File                   | What                                                                                                                 |
| ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `Game.eco` + `Game.db` | The **live** world. These two files **must always travel together** — they reference each other.                     |
| `Archive.eco`          | History data (player actions, government decisions). Useful for moderation but not required for the world to load.   |
| `Backup/`              | Eco creates rolling snapshots here automatically. The `.eco` and `.db` inside are the same format as the live world. |

The whole `Storage` folder is what you back up.

Method 1: Panel Backup (Easiest) [#method-1-panel-backup-easiest]

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Stop your server from **Console** in the [XGamingServer Panel](https://panel.xgamingserver.com).
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Open the **Backups** tab and click **Create Backup**.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Name it (e.g. `pre-meteor-2026-04`) and confirm.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Restore: same tab → **...** → **Restore**.

Method 2: Manual Download [#method-2-manual-download]

Use this when you want full portability (e.g. moving the world to a different host).

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Stop the server.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    In **Files**, navigate to:

    ```
    Eco/Eco_Data/Server/Storage/
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Right-click `Game.eco` → **Download**. Then `Game.db` → **Download**. Keep them together.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    (Optional) Also download `Archive.eco` and the `Backup/` folder if you want history and rolling snapshots too.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Restore from a Backup Folder Snapshot [#restore-from-a-backup-folder-snapshot]

The server creates rolling snapshots in `Storage/Backup/` automatically. To roll back to one:

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Stop the server.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    In **Files**, navigate to `Eco/Eco_Data/Server/Storage/Backup/`. You'll see backup snapshots — pick the one you want to restore.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Copy the snapshot's `Game.eco` and `Game.db` files **out** of `Backup/` and **into** `Storage/`, overwriting the live `Game.eco` and `Game.db`.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Start the server. The world loads from the rolled-back snapshot.
  </Step>
</Steps>

> **Critical:** `Game.eco` and `Game.db` must come from the **same backup snapshot**. Mixing files from different snapshots will corrupt the world.

Surviving an Eco Server Update [#surviving-an-eco-server-update]

Eco updates frequently break old saves. Pocket Pair / Strange Loop ships migrations but they sometimes fail. **Always back up Storage before updating.**

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Stop the server.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Create a panel backup (Method 1 above).
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Run the update (typically by reinstalling the Eco binary while preserving `Storage/` — the update process should never touch user data, but verify).
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Start the server. If it loads, you're good. If it crashes on startup with save errors, restore the backup and wait for a hotfix.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Migrate to a Different Host [#migrate-to-a-different-host]

The whole `Storage/` folder is portable across hosts — Eco is the same binary on Linux and Windows, and the save format is platform-independent.

<Steps>
  <Step>
    Stop the source server. Download `Storage/Game.eco`, `Storage/Game.db`, and `Storage/Archive.eco`.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    On the new XGamingServer Eco server, stop it and delete the existing `Storage/Game.eco` and `Storage/Game.db`.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Upload your downloaded files into `Eco/Eco_Data/Server/Storage/`.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    Start the server. The new instance loads your old world, players, and history.
  </Step>
</Steps>

> Make sure both servers are on the **same Eco version** before migrating — newer save files won't load on older binaries.

Common Issues [#common-issues]

| Problem                                | Cause                                                                                        | Fix                                               |
| -------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| Server crashes on load after restoring | Mismatched `Game.eco` + `Game.db` from different backups                                     | Re-restore from one snapshot, both files together |
| "Save format too new" error            | Migrating to a host running an older Eco version                                             | Update the destination server first               |
| Backup folder is empty                 | Server hasn't run long enough to create rolling snapshots, or `Backup/` was manually cleared | Use Method 1 (panel backups) instead              |
| Players "lost" after restore           | The restore was older than when the player joined                                            | Check the snapshot date matches what you intended |

Related Guides [#related-guides]

* [Configure Your Server](/docs/eco/configure-your-server)
* [Meteor & Disasters](/docs/eco/meteor-disasters)
* [World Generation](/docs/eco/world-generation)
* [Reset Your Server](/docs/eco/reset-server)